The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse (GCSA) appreciates Governor Brian Kemp for his strong support of peer led recovery. We are honored to announce that Governor Kemp will be the keynote speaker for Addiction Recovery Awareness Day (ARAD) on 2 February, 2021 at 10:30 AM via Zoom.
Additionally, we were pleased to hear Governor Kemp announce during the State of the State Address that Georgia will not face Budget cuts this year to state agencies. On behalf of the over 800,000 people across Georgia in recovery from Substance Use Disorder, GCSA looks forward to working with Governor Kemp, the General Assembly Working Group on Addiction and Recovery, and Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to restore funding from last year’s Budget to pre COVID-19 levels and work with our community to fill the gaps needed to serve people seeking or in recovery with peer led recovery programs given the serious impact of COVID-19 on Georgia.
Dr. Kathleen Toomey has issued two memos confirming that the largest increase in hospital emergent department admissions during COVID-19 involves cases associated with Substance Use Disorder. Every medical, academic, and community indicator validates the medical need to increase funding for peer led recovery programs across Georgia.
When Georgia supports peer led recovery programs communities are safer, families stay together, taxes are saved, and the workforce is stronger because Georgia Recovers Together and recovery is real.
